Tom Cruise played the role of Lieutenant Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in Top Gun and later returned to the role as a Captain, 36 years later, in Top Gun: Maverick. The 1986 film was a blockbuster hit, amassing $357 million at the box office. However, the sequel surpassed its success, becoming the highest-grossing film in Tom Cruise’s career, grossing $1.496 billion at the box office.
In his return as a flight instructor in the sequel, Cruise’s character encounters the son of his deceased best friend and former radar intercept officer, Nick “Goose” Bradshaw. The role of the son, Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw, was played by Miles Teller.
Miles Teller Was Hesitant To Accept Tom Cruise’s Offer For The Top Gun Role
Tom Cruise wanted co-producer Jerry Bruckheimer and Paramount Pictures to cast Miles Teller in the role of the son of Anthony Edwards’ Top Gun character. Other actors considered for the role included Nicholas Hoult and Glen Powell, the latter of whom was cast in another role. However, Miles Teller had reservations about taking on the role.
During an interview with Men’s Health, the Whiplash actor revealed that he was unsure whether he wanted to be a part of a project as big as Top Gun: Maverick. The first film in 1986 was one of the best promotional materials for the U.S. Navy. Teller, hailing from a military family, knew the importance of the film and doubted his involvement. The Spectacular Now actor shared with Men’s Health:
“I don’t want this to come out the wrong way, but there was a part of me that didn’t know if I wanted to be a part of something that could bring that much attention and success to me. Everybody views success differently. For me, it didn’t necessarily mean being a part of the biggest movie.”
It appears that the War Dogs actor’s aversion to big films stemmed from the poor reception of his Marvel project, Fantastic Four. The film, which failed to break even at the box office, was critically panned, and Teller’s Mister Fantastic role was his weakest performance to date.
Two Factors Convinced Miles Teller And One Of Them Was Tom Cruise
Despite his initial hesitation, Miles Teller played the conflicted role of Bradley Bradshaw to perfection. The film was unanimously praised by critics, unlike the mixed reception for its prequel. However, there were two motivating factors that convinced the Divergent actor to accept the role. One was the persuasive nature of Tom Cruise, who even flew to Florida to get Teller to accept the role.
The second motivating factor was Teller’s family and friends who served in the military. After conversations with his Marine grandfather, his uncle who was deployed in Vietnam, and his childhood friend who serves overseas, Teller decided to take the role. He disclosed that he used the role to give a voice to American soldiers. The Two Night Stand actor told Men’s Health:
“You wanna give a voice to these guys. In the wars that we fight now, our military comes from very specific parts of the country and socioeconomic classes. We’re losing that connection between civilians and military and our veterans.”
The Oscar-nominated film turned out to be a worthy choice for Miles Teller as it became his career’s most successful movie. Both Top Gun and Top Gun: Maverick are now available for streaming on Paramount+.
Source: Men’s Health
